


Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

by Bittodeath



Series: There's a night and a fading hope [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Abortion, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Medical Examination, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:15:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28011510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bittodeath/pseuds/Bittodeath
Summary: When he can, Crossbones helps the Coruscant medics. It is a thankless job, that leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
Relationships: CT-8672 | Crossbones & CC-1010 | Fox, CT-8672 | Crossbones & CT-8292 | Fern
Series: There's a night and a fading hope [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997248
Comments: 14
Kudos: 49





	Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

**Author's Note:**

> Why this had to be Fern's introduction on AO3, I don't know. If past rape/sexual abuse are triggers for you, you'll want to stay away from most Fern-centered fics.
> 
> Warnings for referenced sexual abuse from Palpatine/Sidious on clone troopers.

Crossbones lets out a sigh, rubbing his brow. He has made it a habit to help the Guard medics when he's on Coruscant: there are too few of them, especially when it's time for physicals.

"Next one!" he calls into the hallway.

Rows of brothers in their blacks are waiting, thankfully all patched. The mess of scents and hormones it would be otherwise... He'd rather not think about it.  
One of the troopers shuffles up, looking around nervously, and Crossbones's instincts flare. There's trouble ahead.

The guard follows him inside.

"Strip", he orders, not looking at him, pulling up the Guard's list and scanning the trooper's biochip.  
"CT-8292, Fern, is that it?" He asks, looking up.  
"Yes sir", the brother replies softly, his eyes cast down.  
"Omega", he adds. "You were due for an ob-gyn exam three months ago, after your last heat. Well, no matter, we'll do it now. Anything you want to signal?"

Fern shakes his head, his arms wrapped around him, and Crossbones smiles.

"Relax, _vod_. I'm on your side. My name is Crossbones, you can call me Cross. I'm an omega like you, and I don't like having anyone poking between my legs either. It'll be quick and painless, but I have to do it." He pauses. "We can do it last, if you'd rather."  
"Yes", Fern replies, and Crossbones hands him an hospital gown to cover himself with. Most brothers aren't body- shy - especially the alphas, when they realize the medic looking at them is an omega. Mated or not, instinct makes them preen to impress him. Some, however, especially among the omegas, are more self conscious.

He takes some blood for analysis and lets the machines do their work. They go through vision and hearing tests, reflexes, and weighing, before Fern needs to shed the clothes again. There are light bruises on his hips and thighs that speak of recent sexual activity - Wooley sports the same and Crossbones is quite proud of them.

"Tell me about your last heat", he asks as Fern settles in the chair. "Were you with someone?"  
"Yes."  
"Was it an alpha or another designation?"  
"Alpha", Fern replies.  
"I assume penetrative sex was involved", Crossbones says, crossing over a box as Fern nods. "Were you knotted?"

There's a silence.

"Fern. I need to know what to check for", Crossbones says gently. "Tearing can occur during knotting."

He knows Fern knows that, as there is mention of an episiotomy practiced on him on Kamino after that exact thing happened - though what that suggests makes Crossbones’ stomach churn.

"Yes", Fern finally replies. "Yes, I was knotted."

Now, Crossbones really has a bad feeling about it all.

"What type of contraceptive did you use?"  
"Contraceptive shot", Fern replies.

Then, his partner was almost assuredly a nat-born. Clones didn't have access to shots. The bad feeling worsens.

"Alright", Crossbones says, noting it into the file. "Feet in the stirrups", he adds, putting on gloves and grabbing the lube.

Fern’s knuckles are white, gripping over the armrests as he settles his feet into the stirrups. Crossbones is gentle, palping his balls before applying lube to his fingers. Fern is tight with stress and getting his finger in to check him up is a whole trial. There’s no tearing from the knot, thankfully, and Fern smells like he’s about to cry. The positioning of his cervix, however, concerns him. He’ll check with the blood results, but…

“Alright, I just need your blood analysis”, Crossbones says once he’s pulled his fingers out.

He discards his gloves, and gets the results, dread pooling into his stomach as he reads them over. Just as he feared, Fern’s results show the beginnings of a pregnancy. Three months along, already. There a sour taste in his mouth when he pulls his stool out, and sits down. Fern is wringing his hands - so, probably expecting the news already.

“Fern”, he says gently, trying not to spook him further. “You are pregnant.”

Fern takes in a sharp breath.

“Regulations are strict, and as CMO, I must inform you that this pregnancy is to be terminated immediately.”  
“Please”, Fern says, his hands balled up into fists. “Please take it out.”

Crossbones closes his eyes. He had hoped to be mistaken, but he wasn’t.

“I will”, he promises. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Fern gives him a look that easily makes him understand that no, he doesn’t want to talk about it.

“Here is what we’re going to do”, Crossbones says. “I will inject you with Alpha-hormones, which will induce a natural miscarriage. Within fifteen minutes, you will get nauseated, and bleed heavily for at most half an hour. I will be keeping you in the med bay, under observation, until tomorrow morning. Before letting you go, I will need to make sure everything went out thanks to an ultra-sound. You may experience some blood-letting in the four following days, I will give you underwear liners for that. If it occurs or lasts longer than this, you must see a medic again.”

Fern squares his shoulders, and nods.

“Do you have pack omegas you want here with you tonight?”, he finally asks.  
“My batchmates”, Fern immediately replies. “After- After.”

Crossbones easily finds the injection, preparing it for Fern’s height and weight. The guard is pale already, his fingers still curled onto the seat. His scent is sour, distressed, and Crossbones tells protocol to go fuck itself and removes his own patch to help his fellow omega - almost a shiny, _osik_ , he’s only nine months out of Kamino!

“Do you want to scent me? It could make it all easier”, he proposes calmly.

Fern nods and shyly rubs his cheek against him. Then, Crossbones practices the injection, and holds him until Fern starts to feel bad. He then guides him to the fresher, and sits him there.

“You’ve done this before”, Fern whispers.  
“Yes”, Crossbones admits. “I don’t know how it is on Coruscant, but troopers on the front don’t have enough contraceptives for everyone.”

Fern closes his eyes for a moment, grieving for his brothers. Some of them, he can guess, would have wanted to keep their babies. Just because he has different circumstances doesn’t mean everyone is like him. Crossbones presses a gentle hand to his brow.

“Hang on, _vod’ika_. Focus on surviving. It’s the most important.”  
“I know”, Fern replies, anguish tinging his voice.

Crossbones kneels besides him and presses their foreheads together, humming several of the chants they learnt on Kamino while Fern bleeds, their hands clasped together. Once the worst has passed, Crossbones takes him to the attached shower, and helps him get cleaned up. Fern is trembling under his hands, and Crossbones ends up carrying the young guard back to the bed, sitting with him and letting him sob in his arms. He takes this opportunity to send a message for Fern’s batchmates, rubbing his back and scenting him, purring softly. It is thankfully not long before Fern is purring as well, albeit self-soothingly, and he falls asleep before his batchmates can even get there. The two omegas crowd the bed around him, pulling Fern in their embrace, and after making sure they will call him if needed, Crossbones steps out.

“Thank you.”

Crossbones blinks, and turns. Fox is standing beside him, at ease. His helmet is on and Crossbones can’t see his face, but he is standing ramrod straight.

“What for?”  
“Taking care of them”, Fox whispers, and there is something broken in his voice. “When I couldn’t.”  
“What are you talking about?” Crossbones asks, frowning.  
“You were with Fern”, he says. “…He was expecting, wasn’t he?”  
“Medical secret, Fox. You know I can’t tell you.”  
“He was”, Fox says. “ _Ka’ra_ , it’s all my fault, if I had-”

Crossbones can’t help it, he grabs the Alpha by his chest-plate and hauls him forward, snarling.

“He doesn’t need you to _lament_ ”, he growls. “Right now the kid is hurting and I-” He shivers. “You and I both know we can’t save them.”  
“You don’t understand”, Fox says bitterly. “He took my place. A shiny, not even six months out of Kamino, and somehow he _knew_ and he-” Fox shudders, his gloves creaking. “He took my place in the Chancellor’s bed to give me more time for my duty and some rest. And I was so relieved he didn’t call on me anymore I didn’t _notice_. I didn’t-”

Their armours clack when Crossbones pulls him into an embrace and Fox shudders and cries inside his helmet, holding on tight.

“It’s not your fault”, he whispers, and he’s horrified and angry and he wants- “It’s not your fault”, he whispers again. “Fox”, he blinks, and his eyes are shining with tears when he looks into his visor. “Your men know you do your best to protect them. They know it. They’re _loyal_ to you, _vod_.”  
“I just want them to be safe”, Fox whimpers and- Crossbones is very, very tempted to just. Blow up the Senate. That should end the war, shouldn’t it?  
“I know”, he replies instead.

Around them, Coruscant goes on, living like they aren’t sacrificing everything for the Republic citizens. So, Crossbones lifts his eyes to the Jedi Temple, and he hopes. He hopes. That is all there is.


End file.
